Casino Royale, Music, and Trees
First of all, I must say that I am very excited about the new James Bond movie. I don't know about you guys, but I had grown tired of 007 and his lame double-intendres. He had gotten mired in his own cliches, and it seems the industry agreed, because now we have a new Bond, a Bond to break all the rules of Bondness, because he was there before the cliches were formed. The movie goes back to the beginning, to the first Bond story, when he became a double-O agent (which means he needs two kills). The guy playing Bond is less cute, more Sean Connery, but younger and with a nice bod. I've read that this movie has fewer gadgets and stupid puns, and I'm really looking forward to seeing it. Maybe it will be my first big-screen adventure in Japan - a movie in the theater costs around $15, so I haven't been in any rush.
Here's the official movie site (a well-done site it is, too): http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/casinoroyale/site/
So, what have I done in the last week, hmmm
Pretty uneventful. Saturday afternoon/eve was the Opening Ceremony of the Second Campus of Horizon Japanese International School that D so wanted to go to. Pretty boring speeches, at least what I could understand of them. They were ostensibly in English, but I think the Turkish founder of the school was reading his phonetically. Some (Turkish again?) ambassador made a speech, too, but her mic kept cutting in and out and it was almost impossible to hear between the technical difficulties and the accent. She did have a fabulous hairdo, tho. Madame Abe, the First Lady, did not in fact show up, no surprise. There 3 songs perfromed by a troupe of upper-class kids in kimono or traditional Turkish costumes, very cute. A Japanese song, a Turkish song of irritating refrain and way too many verses, and the American song: "The Other Day/I Met a Bear."
Apart from the interminable sitting and listening to speeches I couldn't hear anyway, it was pleasant, because the food was spectacular. A huge Turkish buffet, with dishes that had chickpeas, yogurt, exotic spices, and my favorite, dolmades (stuffed grape leaves). There was also one of those great big cylinders of lamb like at gyro shops, off of which they serves slices of meat with pita.
There were a lot of Turkish people there. There is apparently a big Turkish presence in Japan, and some came in from Turkey, too.
I had invited Jason and Alex (2 of M&D's teachers) out to the Blue Corn to see some music (Mooney and His Lucky Rhythm). I'd been trying to get them out of this wariness-of-fraternizing-with-the-moms rut for some time, so I was almost surprised when they said they were interested. A couple hours later, I met them at Kikuna station to be their guide, and another teacher joined us, Kristin (kindergarten - actually had lived in Seattle, Queen Anne, for a time). I got them to the Blue Corn (woohoo! with such confidence of no wrong trains or turns), and we were joined by another teacher (Cynthia, preschool) and her Japanese fiancee with whom she was fighting. Then Yuko, the school secretary and her sig other showed up. So somehow I was resposible for bringing this whole Horizon group to the Blue Corn. I should've gotten a discount.
Mooney was fabulous, of course, in a very Leon Redbone kind of way, as was his washboard player. The sound was more intimate than at the street fair, as the BC has apartments above it and has to keep it down and over early. I think everyone liked it, or if they didn't, they are deaf.
Michael and Shingo showed up, and I gave Shingo the CD of the 3 songs I picked to do at the Xmas Eve party. Jason overheard and immediately offered to play guitar in my 'backup band.' (We are planning to have our first rehearsal on Sunday, just a couple beers and a quick run-through of one song in the living room. He is also doing his best to put me at ease, since I said that I have awful stage fright and this endeavor is actually quite scary to me.) I was glad to see the teachers outside of school, loosened upa bit. I made an announcement at the beginning of the evening that 'what happens outside of school, stays outside of school.' Jasan and Alex were almost frisky, tho the girls were more subdued. Maybe that was only in comparison to Helen & I, who were spanking each other with wooden rice paddles left over form the 'spoon' song. I talked to Mooney for a bit, who, it turns out, not only understood my Leon Redbone reference, but I think said he opened up for him years ago. He said he was hard to see, since he had a hat, glasses, and a full beard, and was rather shy.
Anyway, Helen left early because she wasn't feeling well, and I stuck around with Michael & Shingo for awhile, incuding a trip to the bar next door so Michael could ogle the bartender. I did not drink my glass of red there or finish my third decanter at the BC, because it seemed that 2 was sufficient and I wanted to be not useless on Sunday.
Sunday we walked to Mitsuike Koen to have a combini picnic. It was a very blustery day, and I think I was the only one dressed for it. It was, however, quite sunny as well, so Jeff and I sat in the sun while the kids ran around and went on the big roller-slide.
Here's sme pictures of things we see when we walk to Mitsuike Koen. Mostly it's trees, because, I've said it before and I'll say it again: Japan has fantastic trees.
Last night was my last full Japanese class of this session (I'm pretty sure I'll sign up for more). The conversation teacher (they are volunteers and we seldom have the same one twice in a row) was moving way too fast for most of us, but I managed to pick up a bit about how to form imperative verbs (sumimasen, chotto borupen o kashite kudasai = excuse me, may I pleaese borrow a pen for a sec?). My favorite hiragana teacher was there, and I will miss her. She is always prepared with handouts and a plan, and she's adorable. Next week, after a half-class, they are throwing us a little party. Then, nothing til January, sigh. I think the classes are really helping.
D took the Che Guevara doll to school for Show-n-Tell today (M traded it to him for a Stitch doll D found on the ground a couple weeks ago). I wonder what Mr. Barbut will say about that. Does he know who he is? I'm sure D will not be explaining.
Here's a random photo of a car at our local gas station. I thought it looked a little out of place in Baba. Maybe in Shinjuku.
Here's the official movie site (a well-done site it is, too): http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/casinoroyale/site/
So, what have I done in the last week, hmmm
Pretty uneventful. Saturday afternoon/eve was the Opening Ceremony of the Second Campus of Horizon Japanese International School that D so wanted to go to. Pretty boring speeches, at least what I could understand of them. They were ostensibly in English, but I think the Turkish founder of the school was reading his phonetically. Some (Turkish again?) ambassador made a speech, too, but her mic kept cutting in and out and it was almost impossible to hear between the technical difficulties and the accent. She did have a fabulous hairdo, tho. Madame Abe, the First Lady, did not in fact show up, no surprise. There 3 songs perfromed by a troupe of upper-class kids in kimono or traditional Turkish costumes, very cute. A Japanese song, a Turkish song of irritating refrain and way too many verses, and the American song: "The Other Day/I Met a Bear."
Apart from the interminable sitting and listening to speeches I couldn't hear anyway, it was pleasant, because the food was spectacular. A huge Turkish buffet, with dishes that had chickpeas, yogurt, exotic spices, and my favorite, dolmades (stuffed grape leaves). There was also one of those great big cylinders of lamb like at gyro shops, off of which they serves slices of meat with pita.
There were a lot of Turkish people there. There is apparently a big Turkish presence in Japan, and some came in from Turkey, too.
I had invited Jason and Alex (2 of M&D's teachers) out to the Blue Corn to see some music (Mooney and His Lucky Rhythm). I'd been trying to get them out of this wariness-of-fraternizing-with-the-moms rut for some time, so I was almost surprised when they said they were interested. A couple hours later, I met them at Kikuna station to be their guide, and another teacher joined us, Kristin (kindergarten - actually had lived in Seattle, Queen Anne, for a time). I got them to the Blue Corn (woohoo! with such confidence of no wrong trains or turns), and we were joined by another teacher (Cynthia, preschool) and her Japanese fiancee with whom she was fighting. Then Yuko, the school secretary and her sig other showed up. So somehow I was resposible for bringing this whole Horizon group to the Blue Corn. I should've gotten a discount.
Mooney was fabulous, of course, in a very Leon Redbone kind of way, as was his washboard player. The sound was more intimate than at the street fair, as the BC has apartments above it and has to keep it down and over early. I think everyone liked it, or if they didn't, they are deaf.
Michael and Shingo showed up, and I gave Shingo the CD of the 3 songs I picked to do at the Xmas Eve party. Jason overheard and immediately offered to play guitar in my 'backup band.' (We are planning to have our first rehearsal on Sunday, just a couple beers and a quick run-through of one song in the living room. He is also doing his best to put me at ease, since I said that I have awful stage fright and this endeavor is actually quite scary to me.) I was glad to see the teachers outside of school, loosened upa bit. I made an announcement at the beginning of the evening that 'what happens outside of school, stays outside of school.' Jasan and Alex were almost frisky, tho the girls were more subdued. Maybe that was only in comparison to Helen & I, who were spanking each other with wooden rice paddles left over form the 'spoon' song. I talked to Mooney for a bit, who, it turns out, not only understood my Leon Redbone reference, but I think said he opened up for him years ago. He said he was hard to see, since he had a hat, glasses, and a full beard, and was rather shy.
Anyway, Helen left early because she wasn't feeling well, and I stuck around with Michael & Shingo for awhile, incuding a trip to the bar next door so Michael could ogle the bartender. I did not drink my glass of red there or finish my third decanter at the BC, because it seemed that 2 was sufficient and I wanted to be not useless on Sunday.
Sunday we walked to Mitsuike Koen to have a combini picnic. It was a very blustery day, and I think I was the only one dressed for it. It was, however, quite sunny as well, so Jeff and I sat in the sun while the kids ran around and went on the big roller-slide.
Here's sme pictures of things we see when we walk to Mitsuike Koen. Mostly it's trees, because, I've said it before and I'll say it again: Japan has fantastic trees.
Last night was my last full Japanese class of this session (I'm pretty sure I'll sign up for more). The conversation teacher (they are volunteers and we seldom have the same one twice in a row) was moving way too fast for most of us, but I managed to pick up a bit about how to form imperative verbs (sumimasen, chotto borupen o kashite kudasai = excuse me, may I pleaese borrow a pen for a sec?). My favorite hiragana teacher was there, and I will miss her. She is always prepared with handouts and a plan, and she's adorable. Next week, after a half-class, they are throwing us a little party. Then, nothing til January, sigh. I think the classes are really helping.
D took the Che Guevara doll to school for Show-n-Tell today (M traded it to him for a Stitch doll D found on the ground a couple weeks ago). I wonder what Mr. Barbut will say about that. Does he know who he is? I'm sure D will not be explaining.
Here's a random photo of a car at our local gas station. I thought it looked a little out of place in Baba. Maybe in Shinjuku.
posted by Sandi at 8:48 AM
2 Comments:
oh bloody hell...those damn rice paddles.
i ended up with a sore arse after that...have to say, i enjoyed the spanking though ;)
h.
Would it be considered blasphemous to say that Casino Royale was absolutely the best Bond film I've seen?
I loved it. They got rid of the cheesey garbage and made it gritty and realistic. The guy kills people, ferchrissakes. I also enjoyed that he's no longer a degrading womanizer. It was interesting to see him actually fall for a woman and get his heart stomped on. Nicely done.
Miss you all as always.
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